By Satyne Doner, Arts and Culture Editor
The lights were dimmed, the audience hushed, and the first Saint Leo University theatre student stepped out onto the Black Box stage for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. This was for All in the Timing, a series of one-act comedies that took place every evening on the University Campus from Nov. 4 to Nov. 6.
All in the Timing is a 6-act comedic performance originally written by David Ives, and Saint Leo’s theatre department brilliantly presented it to the community in a way that was both entertaining and inspiring. `
Emily Kochanski oversaw the sound design for the production and was a stage manager as well. She is a former Saint Leo student who studied theatre and is now a Simulation Specialist for the University in the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. In her time as a student at Saint Leo, she performed in several productions and has moved on to more behind-the-scenes roles.
“It felt very natural returning to the Black Box,” said Kochanski. “I would say the overall energy [for the show]was a nervous excitement. I think all the actors, both new and seasoned, felt a lot of pressure. […] They all felt compelled to make the show an unforgettable one; to rekindle that magic that had been lost.”
The show was certainly unforgettable. Students, families, and faculty all came together inside the Black Box to watch the magic happen on stage; the performers seemed to have an inextinguishable excitement about them, and the air was electric.
“COVID has kept me out of the theatre world for so long that stepping back into that space, that world, felt very refreshing,” said Kochanski. “It felt like coming home.”
Kristian Hargrove, a senior studying theatre and another stage manager on the production, had similar sentiments.
“We were able to showcase our Black Box to students and the community again, which is an amazing feeling. Both cast and crew were curious to see how this production could be a new challenge and how the outcome of the production would be received by the public,” she said.
The theatre department is looking forward to hosting more shows inside the Black Box. Both Hargrove and Kochanski expressed that there are productions in the works for Spring 2023.
“We are currently organizing ideas for the Spring production,” said Hargrove. “When auditions open, everyone will have a chance to audition and showcase their talent!”
While the ideas are still up in the air, Spring productions are still a go.
“Ideas are already being tossed around for our Spring musical. The magic will only grow from there,” said Kochanski.
To wrap things up, it seems that All in the Timing went smoothly from the get-go, and members of Saint Leo’s theatre community were chomping at the bit to get back onto the Black Box stage again.
Hargrove left her heart out on the stage last weekend and had one last comment for those who are supportive of the theatre community.
“I hope that audience members take away an important message of how time is important and valuable,” said Hargrove. “Each act is connected one way or another, and all showcase time in a different aspect. Sure, the show was funny, but each act has a deeper meaning. It is all in the timing!”
